Once citizens believe a nation is "a republic but not a democracy" it’s easier for a strongman to limit majority-rule voting so “only the right people” get to vote or have their vote counted
Thanks Thom for pointing this out. It's a meme that has confused me in the past.
RE: "Rockefeller continued, taking on the crowd, “which would subvert this party to purposes alien to the very basic tenets which gave this party birth. Precisely one year ago today, on July 14, 1963, I warned that the Republican Party is in real danger of subversion by a radical, well-financed and highly disciplined minority. The methods of these extremist elements I have experienced at first hand.”"
What Rockefeller "experienced first hand" is also what John Deam experienced and lead to his book titled Conservatives Without Conscience. Dean was under attack by his own party members and he decided to figure out why and then documented his findings that included the works of Professor Robert Altemeyer on right-wing authoritarians.
I always taught my students that we were a democratic republic, and stressed Ben Franklin's (possibly apocryphal) quote! "If we can keep". Let's work hard to keep it!
We had a wingnut editor, since retired, in our one-paper town who ran a highly partisan weekly opinion piece. One of his red-button topics was whether the USA was a republic or a democracy. And, even though it was all pure bs, he presented himself as both a scholar and a student of the subject, citing the usual echo-chamber noise and think-tank disinformation as go-to sources.
Invariably, everything rhymed with Republican. For decades, before internet social media, he was the premier influencer for the rubes, the voice of authority, someone whom dumb people thought a smart person should sound like. Their various letters back and forth revealed their true hearts and minds — racists to the core who simply do not believe in democracy because they do not think everyone should vote. Calling the nation a republic somehow condones disgusting attitudes while excusing voter suppression. What?! You can't connect the dots?
The dumb people also “think” that calling “Meerkkka” a “Christian republic” rhymes even better. See? Throwing Jesus into the mix always gives you another out, like an Ace in the hole for three of a kind — Guns, God, and white people.
It's ten months till the election, in fifty-one weeks a new congress will take office. The world is sick and on fire. Even the good people at the Sierra Club are networking to fight for voting rights.
I got a good email from them yesterday.
The Republicans are succeeding in passing these state laws, but it remains to be seen who they will enrage when they publicly overturn an election. They think they know what the big picture is. NOPE!
Little "d" democratic ideas and systems function all over this country in many forms: class president, mayor, city council, county commissioner, sheriff, state houses, governors, etc.. Also, we have something precious the founding fathers never dreamed of, connectivity. Let's use it to breathe new life into this old democratic republic.
Thanks Thom for pointing this out. It's a meme that has confused me in the past.
RE: "Rockefeller continued, taking on the crowd, “which would subvert this party to purposes alien to the very basic tenets which gave this party birth. Precisely one year ago today, on July 14, 1963, I warned that the Republican Party is in real danger of subversion by a radical, well-financed and highly disciplined minority. The methods of these extremist elements I have experienced at first hand.”"
What Rockefeller "experienced first hand" is also what John Deam experienced and lead to his book titled Conservatives Without Conscience. Dean was under attack by his own party members and he decided to figure out why and then documented his findings that included the works of Professor Robert Altemeyer on right-wing authoritarians.
I always taught my students that we were a democratic republic, and stressed Ben Franklin's (possibly apocryphal) quote! "If we can keep". Let's work hard to keep it!
We had a wingnut editor, since retired, in our one-paper town who ran a highly partisan weekly opinion piece. One of his red-button topics was whether the USA was a republic or a democracy. And, even though it was all pure bs, he presented himself as both a scholar and a student of the subject, citing the usual echo-chamber noise and think-tank disinformation as go-to sources.
Invariably, everything rhymed with Republican. For decades, before internet social media, he was the premier influencer for the rubes, the voice of authority, someone whom dumb people thought a smart person should sound like. Their various letters back and forth revealed their true hearts and minds — racists to the core who simply do not believe in democracy because they do not think everyone should vote. Calling the nation a republic somehow condones disgusting attitudes while excusing voter suppression. What?! You can't connect the dots?
The dumb people also “think” that calling “Meerkkka” a “Christian republic” rhymes even better. See? Throwing Jesus into the mix always gives you another out, like an Ace in the hole for three of a kind — Guns, God, and white people.
Pretty simpleminded stuff. And very effective.
It's ten months till the election, in fifty-one weeks a new congress will take office. The world is sick and on fire. Even the good people at the Sierra Club are networking to fight for voting rights.
I got a good email from them yesterday.
The Republicans are succeeding in passing these state laws, but it remains to be seen who they will enrage when they publicly overturn an election. They think they know what the big picture is. NOPE!
Little "d" democratic ideas and systems function all over this country in many forms: class president, mayor, city council, county commissioner, sheriff, state houses, governors, etc.. Also, we have something precious the founding fathers never dreamed of, connectivity. Let's use it to breathe new life into this old democratic republic.
Thom, let me in on what’s going on please.